S&Ds ensure more money for frontline member states, despite opposition from EPP

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The European Parliament today approved the creation of a fund of over €10 billion to help member states manage asylum, migration and integration for the period 2021-2027. The S&D Group has ensured that the money will be primarily spent within EU countries, to ensure frontline member states have the resources they need to manage migration in a fair and humane way. This split the centre-right EPP Group.

S&D Group MEP and Parliament negotiator for the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund, Miriam Dalli, said:

“The European Parliament today approved the creation of a fund of over €10 billion to help member states deal with migration and asylum. We have ensured that the vast majority of this money will be spent within the EU itself. This is vital to help frontline member states who deal with the majority of new arrivals into Europe. We are surprised and disappointed by the opposition from the centre-right EPP Group who voted against the creation of this fund because they wanted more money spent in third countries. This is despite the EU already providing significant resources to other countries to deal with the root causes of migration. We will always fight to ensure frontline member states are given the support they need.

“We have now ensured that the next long-term EU budget will have more money to help countries manage migration, asylum and integration in an effective way. This is only half of the battle, we need national governments to finally act and reform the EU’s asylum and migration policies to ensure that all member states take their share of responsibility.”